Chapter 164
Chapter 164
Remembering why he had come today, Xiao Che spoke frankly.
“Family Head, I came here to discuss a business deal with you.”
Xiao Lan’s face brightened.
Goods had been piling up since the previous year and now filled every warehouse owned by the Xiao Family.
The cargo of the other great families also had to pass through Xiao docks and then travel toward the Capital, where Prince Cheng’s men would intercept it all.
No family dared move its goods lightly now.
The Eight Great Families of the Northern Frontier still appeared imposing, but each had its own troubles. This was especially true of the merchant families. Most of their goods were trapped in storage because they did not dare ship them to the Capital. The moment a shipment left the Northern Frontier, it risked being robbed.
The Northern Frontier itself was vast and sparsely populated, with few nobles and impoverished commoners. It could not consume all those goods either.
The families had discussed trading secretly with neighboring kingdoms, but war raged everywhere, and those kingdoms were eyeing them like prey.
Doing business with foreigners would mean staking their lives on every journey. They could lose not only their money, but their lives as well. After careful consideration, they decided it was better to wait patiently for a while.
Among the great families, only the scholarly Qin Family had escaped serious harm. All the others had been affected to some degree.
For Xiao Che to propose doing business with the Xiao Family now was truly like sending charcoal in the middle of a snowstorm.
“Older Brother Xiao, what kind of business do you wish to conduct?”
“Grain. I want to buy your family’s grain. I hear the Xiao Family controls more than half the grain in the Northern Frontier.”
Xiao Lan’s expression changed.
“The Xiao Family does possess some grain, but nowhere near as much as you claim. If you are truly short of food, we are willing to give you a few hundred jin without accepting payment. Our ancestors were members of the same clan, after all. If the old patriarch of your main branch had not supported our branch in the Northern Frontier all those years ago, how could we have grown to our present scale? In truth, the Baishui Xiao Family still owes your family a debt of gratitude.”
Xiao Che’s expression did not change. He smiled and said, “The Family Head may not have heard the latest news. Prince Cheng’s army has already breached Tieshan City, and the whereabouts of the Murong Family’s twenty thousand cavalrymen are unknown. As for Prince Cheng’s tens of thousands of troops, I incorporated them into my army several days ago. Family Head Xiao, do you know who this child in my arms is?”
Xiao Che had no intention of trading empty courtesies with Xiao Lan. His words carried equal parts threat and enticement.
Xiao Lan’s heart began pounding, and he focused intently on Jin Bao.
The little girl resembled a lucky doll. A small cap covered her head, revealing only her round face and enormous eyes.
She looked somewhat familiar, as though he had seen her somewhere before, but he could not remember where.
“Who is she?”
Unable to recall, Xiao Lan asked directly.
“She is the Star Maiden Prince Cheng has been searching for. Those tens of thousands of his soldiers were incorporated into my forces by my daughter.”
Xiao Lan and every other member of the clan shot to their feet in shock.
“This child is the Star Maiden? We heard that the Star Maiden had entered the Northern Frontier, but no one knew her whereabouts. Who would have thought she was a member of the Xiao Family?”
“Is the saying that whoever obtains the Star Maiden obtains the realm actually true?”
Rumors were flying everywhere, and no one could distinguish truth from falsehood anymore. Throughout history, countless men had used such claims as a pretext for rebellion.
Who knew whether this was another rumor Prince Cheng had deliberately fabricated?
But after Xiao Che’s reminder, Xiao Lan finally remembered. The child did resemble the portrait that had circulated throughout the Northern Frontier.
Her eyes and brows in particular were exactly the same.
“Family Head, this truly does appear to be the Star Maiden.”
“That’s right. I’ve seen her portrait. The child’s eyes and brows are almost identical. There can be no mistake.”
The other members of the Xiao clan voiced their agreement.
Xiao Lan no longer had any doubt. But what special ability did the Star Maiden possess that could make Prince Cheng pursue her so frantically?
While Xiao Lan was pondering the question, Jin Bao suddenly spoke.
“Uncle, my daddy came to buy grain. Lots and lots of people in our family need food. If you don’t sell us grain, your grain will get stolen, and then you’ll be a poor man with nothing left!”
Jin Bao’s soft, childish voice rang through the hall, and Xiao Lan’s expression immediately cooled.
Had this child been mistaken for the Star Maiden simply because she spouted wild nonsense?
The Xiao Family stored its grain in several different places. The smallest portion was kept at the docks, another portion remained at the family residence, and eighty percent was stored across the various estates under strict guard by Xiao Family retainers. How could anyone steal it?
Seeing Xiao Lan’s disbelief and darkened expression, Xiao Che rose with Jin Bao in his arms. “Since my daughter has said so, I advise you to send someone to check. Every word from my daughter is worth its weight in gold, and she has never been wrong.”
Xiao Che’s words sent a chill down Xiao Lan’s spine, and his eyelids twitched several times.
Still, Xiao Che was right that checking could do no harm. If it proved to be a misunderstanding, Xiao Lan could dispel the rumors, declare the Star Maiden a fraud, and expose the whole affair as Prince Cheng’s scheme. If the warning was true, he could save the family from a major loss.
“Family Head, why don’t I lead some men out to inspect the estates?”
Xiao Hai, Xiao Lan’s second older cousin, stepped forward and volunteered.
Xiao Lan nodded. “Very well. Go and return quickly. Check the nearest estate first. If you find anything unusual, report back immediately.”
“Yes, Family Head.”
Xiao Hai cupped his hands, then turned and left at once.
The moment he left the hall, Jin Bao pointed anxiously in his direction.
“Don’t let him go! He’s the thief! Hurry and catch him!”
Her words threw Xiao Lan and the others into an uproar.
Xiao Lan in particular found the accusation almost impossible to believe.
His second older cousin had always been the most loyal of them all and had worked tirelessly for the Xiao Family. How could he do such a thing?
But the Star Maiden had identified him clearly, and Xiao Hai had indeed seemed unusually eager.
This time, Xiao Lan sent no one after him. Instead, he cupped his hands toward Xiao Che.
“Older Brother Xiao, please wait here a little longer. I must attend to a family matter.”
Xiao Che knew this meant Xiao Lan believed Jin Bao.
He inclined his head. “Please do as you must, Family Head. I will wait here.”
Xiao Lan hurried away, followed closely by the other members of the Xiao clan.
At the main entrance, Xiao Lan questioned the gate guards.
“Did you see the Second Master leave just now?”
“Family Head, the Second Master headed east with the steward and several guards.”
“Family Head, you told the Second Master to inspect the estates. Why did he take the steward and guards with him? Could he and the steward have…”
Xiao Jiang of the Xiao Family’s third branch could not help voicing his suspicions.
Xiao Lan needed no further prompting. He had already realized something was wrong.
It seemed Xiao Hai had been harboring malicious intentions for a long time.
The person stealing the grain, as the Star Maiden had predicted, was most likely a thief within the family.
Who else would dare make a move on Xiao Family territory?
“Old Third, assemble every guard in the Xiao Family immediately. We leave for the estates in fifteen minutes.”
After issuing the sharp command, Xiao Lan turned and returned to the hall.
Xiao Che was surprised to see him come back so quickly.
“What happened, Family Head?”
“Older Brother Xiao, we are members of the same clan. Although more than five generations separate our branches, we still share the same ancestors. Please stop calling me Family Head. My given name is Lan.”
Xiao Che saw that Xiao Lan was actively extending goodwill. It would help bring them closer, so there was no need to stand on ceremony.
“In that case, I won’t be polite, Younger Brother Xiao.”
“Older Brother Xiao, I returned because I would like you and my niece to accompany me. To tell you the truth, the Xiao Family does possess a considerable amount of grain. But as you know, once war begins, grain prices climb beyond reason, and money alone may not be enough to buy it. Countless people are watching what little grain our family has, so we have not dared move it recently. Who would have expected a thief within our own house? Since you wish to purchase grain, why not come with me? We can discuss how to conduct the transaction along the way.”
Xiao Che knew that Xiao Lan wanted to make use of Jin Bao.
He did not refuse. They would have to inspect the grain sooner or later.
“Very well. After you, Younger Brother Xiao.”
The group mounted their horses and rode after Xiao Hai toward the nearest estate.